Supergen Bioenergy Hub research helps shape UK government’s draft biomass sustainability framework
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has launched a national consultation on a draft framework about the sustainable use of resources from biomass.
Find out more and respond to the consultation here.
To underpin the draft framework, DESNZ has used long-standing research from the Supergen Bioenergy Hub. Our 2020 report on harmonising greenhouse gas and sustainability criteria helped government officials working on the UK-wide project to identify strengths and weaknesses within existing sector-specific subsidy schemes. Weaknesses include differences in the sustainability criteria between different biomass end use sectors such as energy, transport, chemicals, construction and manufacturing. The Hub report also identified a need for clear systems to track environmental benefits, land management and biodiversity.
The report was originally cited by the government in their 2023 UK Biomass Strategy, which included a commitment to developing a cross-sectoral sustainability framework, the subject of the current consultation.
Patricia Thornley said: “Research has shown that bioenergy from indigenous resources could provide up to 45% of UK primary energy demand with CO2 reductions of typically more than 80%. Critically this can be delivered across power, heat, transport and industrial demands, but sustainable bioenergy can only be delivered from sustainable biomass. Therefore, having a robust, consistent sustainability framework is critically important.
“We firmly welcome this consultation. We are particularly pleased to see that it encompasses many ‘easy to neglect’ areas, such as carbon stores in soil and forests and considers the practicalities of monitoring, reporting and verification alongside the measurements and metrics. The Supergen Bioenergy Hub will therefore be facilitating scientific engagement around and developing an evidence-based response to the consultation to ensure that the UK framework delivers sustainable carbon reductions.”
Sustainability research lead for the Hub Mirjam Röder said: “This consultation is an opportunity to build understanding of and confidence in the role of biomass in the UK energy system as well as to engage with a broad range of stakeholders to ensure that the sustainability of biomass and bioenergy in the UK is built upon scientific knowledge and understanding of the impacts.”
The DESNZ consultation is now open, closing on 27 February 2026. More details, including how to respond to the DESNZ consultation, are available using the links below.
www.gov.uk/government/consultations/common-biomass-sustainability-framework
You can also visit our dedicated page for news, events and resources on the consultation here.
We will run webinars in the new year on topics relevant to the consultation, including forest carbon and sustainability, timed to encourage wide and diverse contributions to the DESNZ consultation. Sign up to our communications and keep an eye on LinkedIn for details of the webinars.
